Handle for trunks



PATENTED FEB. 9, 1904.

0. L. SANFORD.

HANDLE FOR TRUNKS.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 3, 1903. RENEWED JAN. 8, 1904.

/5 W/ At N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented February 9, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

HANDLE FOR TRUNKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Let ers Pa n N0. 751,685, dated February 9, 1904. Application filed January 3, 1903. Renewed January 8, 1904-.- Serial No. 188,228. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES L. SANFORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bellaire, in the county of Belmont and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Handle for Trunks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to handles for trunks, caskets, and similar structurs or closures and may likewise be employed under some circumstances in connection with drawers or other sliding closures, and has for its object the production of a simply-constructed device which may be maintained normally substantially flush with the trunk or other closure when not it use and which is yieldable to enable it to be withdrawn when required; and the invention consists in a hand-grip member connected to the trunk or other closure by standards formed of sections telescopically disposed and adapted to be collapsed when not in use.

The invention further consists in a handgrip member connected by standards to the body of the trunk or other closure, the standards formed of a plurality of sections telescopically disposed and with springs adapted to maintain the standards collapsed when not in use.

Other novel features of the invention appear in the annexed description and, are specified in the claims.

In the drawings illustrative of the invention, in which corresponding designating characters are employed for like parts in each of the figures, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved device applied. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation, and Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation, of the device applied.

The device may be applied to trunks, burialcaskets, drawers, and other closures where flush handles are employed, and consists in a hand-grip member 10 of any suitable material or size and disposed upon the outer surface of the trunk or other closure 11, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fitted in an opening in the closure 11 is a tubular section 13 opposite one end of the handle member 10, another similar tubular section being located opposite the other end of the handle member, and as the connecting portions between the handle member and the closure are precisely alike corresponding chalracters will be employed for like parts in eac i.

Ooncentrically disposed within the tubular sections 13 are other like tubular sections 14:, and concentrically disposed within the tubular sections 14: are still other tubular sections 15, the three sections 13 1 1 15 being telescopically arranged, as shown.

The sections 15 will be connected by their outer ends permanently to the handle member 10, and the inner section 13 will be connected permanently in the closure 11, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The sections 13 will be provided with internal ribs 16, while the sections 1 1 will be provided with external ribs 17 upon their inner ends adapted to engage the ribs 16 when %1e sections 14 are withdrawn, as shown in The sections it will be provided with internal ribs 18 upon their outer ends, and the sections 15 will be provided with external ribs 19 upon their inner ends, the ribs 19 being adapted to engage the ribs 18 when the sections 15 are withdrawn, as indicated in Fig.

3. By this arrangement it will be obvious that the sections 1 1 15 may be withdrawn or extended into the position shown in Fig. 3, but will be limited in their outward movement by the interengaging ribs. The grip member 10 may thus be withdrawn readily to a limited extent, as indicated in Fig. 3, or repressed into contact with the outer surface of the closure 11, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The sections 14: 15 may be of any desired length, but should be such as to permit the handle member to be withdrawn far enough to provide for the insertion of the fingers of the operator between the closure and the handle member. I

Two of the sections 14: 15 are shown composing each of the standards by which the grip member 10 is connected to the closure; but it is obvious that any desired number may be employed and of any desired length and size to adapt the device to the closure to which it is attached, and I do not, therefore, wish to be limited to any particular size or number of the tubular sections.

When employed upon trunks, a reinforcingpiece 20 will generally be required to increase the thickness at the point where the sections 13 are attached, as the ordinary trunk material will not be thick enough to receive them; but in closures whose walls are thick enough to receive the sections 1-3 the reinforcing member will not be required.

The sections 13 will preferably be provided with ribs 21 upon their inner ends to afford a simple means for fastening them in place to prevent their withdrawal outwardly.

Cover-plates 22 will be disposed over the inner ends of the sections 13, and these coverplates will be utilized as a means for the attachment of internal springs 23, the opposite ends of the springs being connected to the handle member 10, as indicated at 24, the springs exerting their force to maintain the telescopic standards in their collapsed position when the handle member is not in use, as shown in Fig. 2. By this simple arrangement the handles of trunks will be maintained in a withdrawn position when not in use and will not project and be in danger of being broken off while the trunks are in transit, but will be in position to be very readily and quickly Withdrawn when required. The springs 23 will not be required to exert a very strong force, but just suflicient to maintain the handle member in its withdrawn position readily yieldable when required. The handle member will preferably be provided with a thumb-recess 25 to facilitate grasping the same when required for use.

The handle member 10 may be of any desired size and shape and may be of any suitable material and may be formed in ornamental or fanciful design, as required, and may conform in outline to the closure to which it is attached.

The device may be employed upon burialcaskets, if desired, and in that event will preferably be of metal suitably plated or otherwise ornamented and of any fanciful design.

The cover member 22 is an important feature of the invention, as it entirely covers and protects the telescopic standards and prevents the entrance of dust or other foreign matter.

and likewise prevents interference with the contents of the closure by the standards and prevents the contents of the closure coming in contact with the springs.

The device is very simple in construction and can be made very strong and durable, and the standards being tubular are in the best shape to successfully resist all strains to which they will be subjected.

The tubular sections may be of any suitable thickness to enable them to resist the strains to which they will be subjected.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A handle for trunks and the like consisting of a hand grip-bar, and connecting-standards formed of a plurility of sections telescopically disposed with one of the end sections connected to the grip-bar member and the other end section connected to the body of the trunk, whereby the grip-bar may be collapsed when not in use, substantially as described.

2. A handle for trunks and the like consisting of a hand grip-bar, connecting-standards formed of a plurality of sections telescopically disposed, means for connecting one of the end sections to the grip-bar member, means for connecting the other end' section to the body of the trunk, and springs connecting said grip-bar and the trunk-body and exerting their force to yieldably maintain said standards in their collapsed position, substantially as described.

3. A handle for trunks'and the like consisting of a hand grip-bar, connecting-standards formed of a plurality of sections telescopically disposed, means for connecting one of the end sections to said grip-bar member, means for connecting the other end section to the body of the trunk, springs disposed within said tubular sections and connected by their ends respectively to said hand grip-bar and to said trunk-body, substantially as described.

4. A handle for trunks and the like consist ing of a hand gripbar, and connecting-standards formed of a plurality of sections telescopically disposed, each section having an external rib on one end and an internal rib upon the other end, means for connecting one of the end sections to said grip-bar member, and

means for connecting the other end section to the body of the trunk, substantially as described.

5. A handle for trunks and the like consisting of a hand grip-bar, connecting-standards formed of a plurality of concentric tubular sections telescopically disposed, each section having an external rib on one end and an internal rib upon the other end, means for con necting one of the end sections to said gripbar member, means for connecting the other end section to the body of the trunk, springs disposed Within said tubular sections and connected by their ends respectively to said hand grip-bar and to said trunk-body, substantially as described.

6. A handle for trunks and the like consisting of a hand gripbar, connecting-standards formed of a plurality of sections telescopically disposed with one of the end sections connected to the grip-bar member and the other end section connected to the body of the trunk,

a plate forming an inner closure to the sec- In testimony that I claim the foregoing as tions, and springs connected by one end to my own I have hereto afliXed my signature in sald plate and extending through said sections the presence of two Witnesses.

and connected by their other ends to said CHARLES L. SANFORD 5 hand grip-bar, and exerting their force to \Vitnesses:

maintain said sections in their collapsed posi- J. C. HENRY,

tion, substantially as described. RoBT. HITE. 

